FIRST
SUMMER

The Bees are busy

MAY 19-23, 2025

Songbirds sing from dawn to dusk and the bees are so very busy. 

Bountiful sun sends the flora into overdrive and wild edible flowers and berries abound. We’ll gather these shoots and leaves for a masterclass on medicinal teas and cordials. Garden harvests offer green peas and fava beans among other flavors of early summer. And as a seasonal specialty we grill barracuda wrapped in giant leaves of the Houba magnolia tree.

TEA HARVEST

Session Lookbook

There is an urgency to May as we shift out of spring and into early summer. Bees collide with moths and butterflies, all out to feast on the plethora of pollen.

Book now

Make your way to Karatsu, in the Northwest corner of Kyushu, a little over an hour by train from the Fukuoka airport or shinkansen station. Join us at the Mirukashi salon high on a hilltop in the heart of Japan’s countryside for a lively welcome dinner full of fresh seasonal flavors.

We'll gather in Mirukashi and start with a few Japanese cuisine fundamentals. Then we’ll stretch our legs and head out to gather a bouquet of wild edible weeds and flowers to bring back to the kitchen. We'll prepare a delicious lunch full of fresh first summer flavors.

Travel & Welcome

Foraging & Cooking

day 1

day 2 Morning

We'll start the day with a multi-course tofu-focused brunch at a 250 year old renowned establishment. Then we'll head out for a guided tour of a beautifully preserved historical estate  that exemplifies the highest caliber Japanese architecture dating back to the early 1900s.

Local Gems

DAy 3 Morning

We'll join Hanako in her pottery studio and learn about the art and craft of Japanese tableware. Then we'll head into town to visit the local shrine and a few shops before enjoying dinner at a beloved classy yet casual restaurant featuring female-forward food, craft, and design.

Atelier Visit

Day 2 afternoon

How We'll Spend Our Time

come to mirukashi

We’ll gather wild shoots and leaves with an expert in the field of medicinal plants and enjoy a masterclass on wild teas and cordials. We'll bring our wild harvest back to Mirukashi to craft healing infusions. Then we'll enjoy a private dinner at an intimate countryside restaurant

We'll gather in Mirukashi for a second cooking session focused on preparing the perfect Japanese style picnic. We'll make takikomi (mixed) rice with pickled red shiso and even fashion some simple wagashi Japanese confections, to enjoy after lunch with tea.

Wildcrafting

In the Kitchen

day 3 Afternoon

day 4 Morning

Pack your swag and enjoy one last morning at your hotel by the sea before you hug your new best friends goodbye. You are now an honored member of the Mirukashi Collective, a group of culturally curious gastronomes who have formed lasting bonds while spending time in Mirukashi.

Hugs & Goodbyes

DAy 5

We''ll pack up our picnic and head out to lunch by the sea. We'll enjoy a en plein air tea service with matcha and sweets and If the ocean calls, we might even jump in for a first summer swim. Then you'll freshen up at your hotel before our final farewell dinner in Mirukashi.

En Plein Air

Day 4 Afternoon

Let the waves lull you to sleep each night in this 4 star oceanside hotel featuring spectacular views from every room. Watch the sun rise over the bay, take a stroll along the sandy beach by a forest of ancient pine trees, visit the gym or relax in the sauna, onsen spa, or rooftop thermal pool.

Seaside Hotel

Where You'll Stay

How It Works

Salon sessions are $3550 per person. A non-refundable deposit of $1800 secures your place with the balance due 60 days before the start date.

Pricing

Four nights in a private room plus all food, drink, and transportation during the salon session. Does not include transportation to and from Karatsu.

What's included

Plans are hard to make these days. All deposits are non-refundable but give me two months notice and I'll happily apply your deposit to a future session.

cancellation

Seating is limited.

Reserve yours now.

Salon sessions are limited to 7 people to ensure a relaxed and intimate experience. 
Bookings are accepted in the order requested.
Come to Mirukashi.

Book Now

STORIES OF THIS SEASON

Read More >

There is an urgency to May. Flowers bloom in abundance and the bees are so very busy. They collide with moths and butterflies, all out to feast on the plethora of pollen. Songbirds sing.

Purple Days
of May

NEXT →

Stories of this Season

Read More >

I’m as smitten with this dish for its flavor as I am for its construct. You buy fish at the fish mongers, gather big leaves from the magnolia, kinome and berries from the sansho tree, and...

Primal
and Perfect

NEXT →

STORIES OF THIS SEASON

Read More >

A small bowl of a few green peas is simmered with kibizato, a powdery, fragrant, and mildly sweet sugar from the southern islands. Served cool, it makes for a refreshing appetizer.

A More
Resonant Flavor

NEXT →

Join us

Ready to Join us?

To register for First Summer 2025, please fill in the form here and submit your deposit on the next page. Have questions? Email me at prairie@mirukashi.life